INSOLENCE and HUMILITY

It has been quite a while since I have posted an entry here! I have no excuse except that I had nothing to say! haha! Those of you who know me personally have by now fallen off their chairs laughing hysterically, saying, "WHAT? Diane ALWAYS has something to say!!!!" But seriously, I had nothing to say and by God's great grace maybe, just maybe, I am learning that if i don't have anything to say then I should keep my mouth and my blog shut! :)

BUT... today as I was studying Psalm 119,
(preparing to speak about Psalm 119 for a mini women's retreat in October), I was struck by the psalmist's humility in verse 80.

Verses 78 and 80 say:

"Let the insolent be put to shame, because they have wronged me with falsehood, as for me, I will meditate on your precepts.... May my heart be blameless in your statutes, that I may not be put to shame!"

A short list of synonyms for the word insolent (from www.dictionary.com) may be helpful in driving home the message in these 2 small verses:

Overbearing
insulting
abusive
offensive
saucy
impudent
audacious
pert
impertinent
rude
reproachful

The psalmist has been wronged. Perhaps slanderous things were said about him by insolent people! Insolent people, as defined above, are not very nice! Perhaps he was betrayed by someone he thought a friend but is now an enemy. Persecution of some sort has affected him.. maybe by an acquaintance, maybe by a political figure or a political group.

Regardless, the psalmist in verse 78 calls these people insolent and calls for God to put them to shame! The psalmist could have "meditated" on the wrong done to him. He could have rehearsed in his mind the falsehoods said, the falsehoods implied and he could have churned it over and over again in his mind but look at what he chose to do! He chose to meditate on God's precepts instead! He chose to meditate on the Word of God RATHER then meditate on the accusations and/or falsehoods spoken about him! And not only did he choose to set his mind on things above but then he also remembered his own tendencies to sin and insolence!!!!! In verse 80 he asks God to make his own heart blameless so that he, himself, may not be put to shame!!!!!

This affected my soul today. It is so easy for me to point a finger at someone who has spoken lies about me or has unjustly accused me of something. It is so easy for me to point my fingers at political groups who differ from my opinions and call out for God to shame them for their insolence! (Please know that I understand there are certain things we must stand up for, ie.. abortion.. but we do not have to be insolent about it.. we can humbly fight for the unborn).
It is so easy to look at the ungodly and point fingers and call for God to shame them!

AND THEN, by God's grace, love and mercy he reminds me of how helpless and insolent I am apart from Jesus! I can do NOTHING apart from Jesus! I am helpless and hopeless and yes, insolent apart from Jesus. I can be overbearing, saucy, offensive, verbally abusive... I can and have been all those things and I would consistently walk in those ways still if not for the grace of God and salvation through Jesus Christ!

While I was still a sinner Jesus died for my sins! While you were still a sinner Jesus died for your sins!!! What love is this??? Amazing.. absolutely amazing!

God make and keep me humble, remembering that apart from YOU I can do nothing. I pray that I would choose to meditate on YOUR Word and YOUR promises and YOUR goodness rather than on the insolence of others. I pray God that You would continually increase my faith, my love for You, increase humility in my life and love towards others. I pray that I would have a compassion and love for the unsaved, insolent ones so much so that I would pray for them to be saved. Oh Lord, apart from You I cannot even pray. I am happy to say that I need You and depend on You. Abba Father I call out to you to keep me. I trust in Your promises. Amen.